Elysium
by MelonMochi
Summary: (au/ooc) The Vatican has constructed an underground utopia for the purpose of studying and protecting demons. At least, that's what they told newcomer Rin after erasing his memory.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I'm not a very good writer, so I'm trying something different with this. ****The story takes place after the exwires discover Rin is a demon and begin to ostracize him.**

**Blue Exorcist belongs to Katou Kazue and Co.**

My vision swirled as I eased my eyes open, a haze of monochrome colors that had no distinguishable shape. I blinked hard a few times until my senses slowly began to return to me, and glanced around the room, unable to recall why I was here.

Bright, yellow light filtered in through a nearby window, the only source of color around me. It was slanted at a strange angle, as if I was underground. Blinded by the light that stabbed my unadjusted eyes, I turned away in time to watch a nurse enter through a metallic door. She smiled warmly when she saw me and dabbed a cool, wet cloth gently against my forehead. I pulled myself into an upright position, groaning and gripping my head. It throbbed and pounded painfully for a moment before fading.

"Hello," her voice was distinct and monotonous, a human representation of the room we were in. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck."

She didn't acknowledge my response. "Your name is Rin."

I realized that I didn't know my name, my age, who I was or how I should act. I struggled to search my memory, but nothing came back. And yet, I wasn't bothered by that. I felt completely comfortable not knowing who I was. Is this a normal reaction to whatever event brought me here? I couldn't remember.

My voice echoed the name she gave me. It was comforting and familiar and I liked it. The nurse helped me up and, after a few attempts at standing on my own, I followed her out into the hall. The walls were painted an industrial gray, dull and boring. There were no windows and I noticed very few doors. It felt like I was in a prison.

"Where are we?" I asked as I fidgeted nervously, upset that I couldn't see or hear the outside world.

"I cannot disclose the location to you."

Her words made my heart pound. I swallowed, trying to dislodge the sudden lump in my throat as a chill tingled along my spine. I couldn't understand what was making me so anxious, but it was difficult to ignore.

"Why?"

"You are here because you are a demon."

"A...demon?" The word snagged on my tongue, almost impossible for me to say.

She continued down the long hall, hands tucked neatly in front of her, unaffected by the uncomfortable edge to my voice. "A half-breed specifically. This facility is a wonderful place that has been constructed and funded by the Vatican to protect demons like you."

For some reason beyond my comprehension, I was dubious of her, unable to believe her 'wonderful' explanation. "_Why_?"

"We have come to a compromise. We will create an underground sanctuary that meets the needs of many different subspecies of demons simultaneously. In return, we are allowed to study your society with minimal interaction."

Nothing she said made sense to me. "Whatever, lady. Just let me go home, okay?"

Again, she ignored me. The nurse stopped by a door and turned to face me, kindly expression gone. "Don't worry, you're safe here." She opened it and urged me inside. "Let me know when you're done changing."

The room was tiny, with nothing but a bench and a pile of neatly folded clothes: a pair of dark-colored jeans, a plain shirt, and a gray hoodie. Grumbling unhappily to myself, I changed. As I did, I noticed something etched into my arm: a string of random numbers. I felt a small bump under the skin when I ran my finger across the tattoo, but, otherwise, didn't think much of it. I straightened my hair in the full body mirror before exiting the room.

The nurse was gone, instead replaced by two mean-looking men in teal scrubs. I opened my mouth to ask a question, but was silenced as one grabbed my hair.

I cried out and struggled as the other man attempted to pull my hands behind my back. Confused and terrified and, still disoriented from just waking, I wasn't strong enough to squirm free of them. Eventually, I gave in and relaxed my body, allowing them to restrain my wrists. The cuffs were then clipped to my belt, making it impossible for me to quickly break loose.

We entered an empty waiting room and I was guided to an elevator door. He pushed a button and firmly held my arm as we waited. I wanted to talk to him, ask him why I was here, being treated like this, but I was too afraid of what he would say.

I felt as if I deserved this punishment, as though no one liked me and I was better off being locked away. Everyone would be safer this way, and they would no longer have to fear me.

I wasn't sure why I was having these thoughts, but they pulled at my heart and I wanted to cry.

Our wait was brief and soon I found myself riding down on the elevator. I immediately froze when the glass window in front of me revealed a small, underground city. Everything was dark and indistinguishable, cast under similar, ominous shadows. The buildings, all the same shape and size, were made from rock that formed the ground. There was a fountain in what appeared to be the center, filtering clear water that sparkled under the tiny flames of nearby candles.

As we descended, I noticed a large wall built around the city. Barbed wire coiled around the top and I could barely make out illegible, glowing words carved into the stone, like some kind of seal to keep the residents enclosed.

The view disappeared and the elevator came to a stop. It opened up to the entrance of the city, guarded by a group of people I recognized as exorcists. Without leaving the elevator, the man shoved me forward into a line and pressed a button to take him back up. I struggled with my restraints, but couldn't get my hands in a comfortable position.

I sighed in defeat and examined the demons in line with me. Horns, jagged teeth, pointed ears, reddened pupils... Was I really one of them? A monster? The kind that hurt people, that had no limits when it came to what they wanted, that would so easily betray their family and friends? No way. That wasn't me and I _knew_ it. I don't belong here.

...Right?

Too soon, it was my turn, and I approached the exorcists cautiously. One roughly grabbed me and pulled up my sleeve to record the number on my arm. Another held a hand-held scanner to it. I heard a faint _beep_ and had my restraints removed.

"Rin, correct?" I glared at him and rubbed my sore wrists. "Here." He handed me a dog tag on a keychain. It had my name, house number, and serial number engraved on it. "Follow me." He turned on his heel and opened the tall, chain link gate that led into the city.

There wasn't much to see along the way; a majority of the residents hid in their homes, terrified of the exorcist. Others glowered at us as we passed. He stopped in front of an unrecognizable house. "This is where you will live."

He opened the door (well, it was more like a wooden plank) and shoved me inside. I tripped and fell onto the cold floor with a pained grunt. The room – my 'new' house – was incredibly tiny. It had no windows or ventilation or running water; all I had was a pillow and blanket atop a stone slab that I assumed was my bed. I sat up and sighed, staring down at the serial number that branded me a demon. I scratched at it, but it only made the skin around my tattoo redden. A sudden wave of despair crashed into me; I was trapped, abandoned, and alone, not even with memories to comfort me.

I jumped at the sound of my door creaking open. A man – demon – offered his hand. I accepted it an he pulled me up. He looked weary and discontented, with dark bags framing the underside of his eyes. His hair was shaped into an odd spike atop his head and the clothes he wore were tattered with age. But he didn't look like a demon; he didn't have horns or scary, jagged teeth. I stepped back when I realized he was examining me just as closely.

"...Wh-Who are you?" I stuttered. His abrupt presence made me uncomfortable.

I tried to read the expression in his eyes. All I could see were the light blue hues of his irises; he kept everything else hidden behind them, if there _was_ anything else, that is. He didn't look too bright. "You're a half-breed." It wasn't a question or an accusation, simply a statement. But the way he said it made me feel uneasy, like I wasn't welcome.

"Yeah, that's what they told me." He tilted his head, probably confused by the anxious tone in my voice.

"Don't believe it," he said succinctly.

"Believe what?"

"Any of it," he paused to glance up at the elevator shaft, eyes flicking back to me as I leaned forward to see what he was looking at. "They're lying, I know they are." With a movement so quick I barely saw it, he launched himself to the top of my house.

"Wait! Who's lying? What are you talking about?"

He hung himself upside-down in my doorway. "The Vatican. They're not keeping us here to protect us; they're experimenting on us when it's convenient for them."

I glared at him. "Why should I believe _you_?"

His eyes tightened with an emotion I couldn't read, and then he pulled himself upright, disappearing from my view. "You've been conditioned to believe everything they say; brainwashed is another word." He paused. "You don't have to believe me, but, regardless, what I'm telling you is the truth."

I deliberated for a moment, his words resounding in my head. Feeling brave, I exited my shack to make eye contact with him, but he was too busy staring up at the lights that illuminated the cave. "Hey!" He looked at me with a blank expression – a perfect poker face. "I'm Rin."

He scrutinized my face for a moment before responding. "I am Amaimon, your neighbor." He pointed a clawed finger to my left.

"How long have you lived here?"

"Long enough."

"I don't know if I can believe you, but I _do_ know I don't want to be here. And I'm sure you don't either. I mean, this is a pretty _bad_ sanctuary, huh?" I paused, wanting a response, but he continued to stare. "Okay, I've decided!" My heart jumped with anticipation. "I'll get us both out of here!"

He laughed once without humor. "Don't bother. You'll be killed before you can even figure out how to get up there. And don't expect to walk over to the elevator and get a free ride; it has a scanner." He tapped his arm, where the serial number would be. "RFID. They'll know."

"We can find a way-"

"Look," he cut me off, angry. "I appreciate your determination, but leave me out of whatever you have planned."

"But don't you want to-"

"No." He hopped over to the roof of his house. "Aniue will come get me when he's ready. I have to wait here."

I gritted my teeth, frustrated by his stubborn behavior. "Fine! I don't need your help! I'll find a way out by myself!"

"Hpmh."

I slammed my door, empathizing my anger, but I used too much force and, after a moment of being stable, it landed noisily on the ground, knocked free of its hinges. He smirked at me and watched as I struggled to put it back in place. "Shut the fuck up! You won't be laughing when I get out of here!" I closed my door gently and crawled into bed.


	2. Chapter 2

I _definitely_ didn't want to spend the rest of my life sleeping on a stone bed. Amaimon shook me awake the next morning and all I could feel was the numbing pain in my hips and shoulder from the hard surface I slept on.

"Get up. You sleep too long," he scolded. "We'll miss the preliminaries."

I sat up with an annoyed groan, wiping the drool from my mouth. "Miss who?"

"Just get up," he spat, shoving me off the bed.

I was instantly awake when I landed on the ground. "Hey! What the fuck is your problem?"

"You are. Now hurry up."

I pulled myself to my feet, disappointed to find the events from yesterday were not a dream. "Where are we going?" I asked as I stumbled to match his quickening pace. He didn't answer me.

But he didn't need to.

Growls and hollers erupted from a crowd that had formed around the fountain. Demons were snarling and shouting vicious words of encouragement, pumping their fists in the air, and I think I heard a few bets being placed. Some of them became quiet and stepped aside for Amaimon as he guided me through the mass for a better view.

Two residents were fighting violently in the center of the crowd, dancing around the fountain as they attacked each other. They moved so quickly I could barely keep up. The one with white hair noticed an opening in his opponent's attack and took it, bashing his head into the base of the marble fountain. I winced and turned away.

"What the hell is this?"

Amaimon raised a brow at my question. "It's our entertainment."

I laughed once, disgusted, and turned back to the arena. A small pool of blood sat beside the fountain. I shivered and shook my head.

I _definitely_ didn't belong here.

"Your turn."

"What!?" My head snapped up to meet his poker face, certain I hadn't heard him right. "E-Excuse me?"

"Your turn," he repeated, a taunting edge to his voice.

"Are you kidding? Did you see what happened to that last guy?"

"Participating in these fights is how you survive down here."

I hesitated, fear churning my thoughts, making them incoherent. "...What do you mean?"

He dug a bundle of dog tags out of his pocket. There must've been at least thirty among the intricate maze of keyrings. "When you win, you receive your opponent's tag. One tag can be traded for any item you desire." He tucked them back into his pocket. "Most trade for food."

"And...you get these tags by," I swallowed noisily and glanced back at the pool of blood.

"By killing your opponent."

"How did _you_ get so many?"

He grinned, an impish, dark curve to his lips. "I don't lose." I wasn't sure what expression I had, but he was amused by it. "Don't worry; I'm not participating today. I wouldn't want to ruin your first chance at a decent meal."

"Well, actually," I bit my lip nervously, backing away into the crowd. "I'm not that hungry, so, uh... I'll just go back home."

Amaimon grabbed the hood of my sweater as I tried to run and tossed me into the center of the ring of spectators. "Remember to go for the throat."

The crowd went silent, each demon scrutinizing me with the same expression of disbelief. I didn't have horns, or sharp teeth, or barely leashed aggression visible in my eyes, so I could only imagine what they were thinking as they judged my skill. I became nervous and frightened by all the attention, grasping for something at my back that didn't exist.

_My sword...where's my sword?_

But the thoughts weren't mine and I ignored them, crossing my arms tightly against my chest to keep me from fidgeting.

The white-haired demon that won the last match stepped forward, laughing a dark chortle that sent shivers down my spine. "Look boys, Amaimon's new toy has come to play! Who wants to bet on how long he'll last?"

"Five minutes!"

"One minute!"

The shouts started up again, louder this time, ringing in my ears. Amaimon remained silent, blankly staring from his spot in the crowd. "You, go!" The demon grabbed someone to his left and shoved him forward. He had black hair and vicious, unveiled loathing reflected in his eyes. I stepped back. "Let's have a clean fight, okay you two?"

He snapped his fingers and the next thing I know, I've been knocked to the ground. A wide, sick grin stretched across the demon's face as he flashed his claws at me. I managed to roll out of the way before he attacked and scrambled to my feet. Again, my hand unconsciously reached for my back, grabbing at nothing.

My opponent lunged forward with impossible speed, giving me barely enough time to avoid him. "Fight back!" I could hear Amaimon shout over the cacophony of violent screams.

It was just enough to distract me and, in that split second, I was tackled. The demon straddled my hips, punching me with incredible strength. Adrenaline filled me and, suddenly possessed by a force of will I didn't know I was capable of, I fought back. I reached up and grabbed him by the nape of his neck, throwing him aside and successfully switching our positions.

Something slowly began to take control of me, something deep-rooted and truly evil. I couldn't control it and, as I pounded his face with my fists, I allowed it to consume me, though only a little. I felt my body become engulfed in a gentle, tickling heat, and welcomed it. The pain that numbed my knuckles instantly disappeared and the sounds of the crowd became muffled, distant, as if I had cotton shoved in my ears. I was focused on killing my opponent and nothing else.

But I was snapped back into the fight when someone tackled me off the demon; though it didn't matter – I had already won.

The white-haired demon snarled at me. "I won't let a newcomer like you ruin _my_ tournament!"

"I thought you said this was a fair fight!"

He attacked me with everything he had, placing so much effort into a single punch. I dodged swiftly, fist making contact with his cheek. The more I allowed the flames to control me, the easier it was to evade and attack. But I knew I couldn't go too deep or I might never be able to resurface.

The demon tried to grab me and missed. I took the advantage and kicked out my leg, nailing him in the stomach and sending him backwards. He paused on his knees to catch his breath, glowering at me with pure hate. I waited patiently for him to compose himself.

Our fight continued for a few minutes, with neither of us backing down. It made the crowd impatient. They screamed at us to hurry, kill each other so they could finally have their turn.

I faltered listening to the crowd, disgusted by their behavior, and was grabbed from behind. I slammed my head into his nose, but he didn't seem affected. Pain exploded in my chest as he dug his claws into my flesh, chuckling darkly in my ear. I struggled and gritted my teeth to keep from crying out.

And, at that moment, I decided to give in entirely. The flames devoured my mind and body, consuming me completely in an amazing display of blue light. Then it was over.

He released me and slipped to the ground, no longer laughing. The crowd roared with sudden excitement, celebrating my victory. My flames faded, retreating into the inaccessible crevices of my mind. As they disappeared, the realization of what I'd done crashed into me.

I _was_ just like them. A monster. _A demon_.

I covered my ears as they continued cheering, desperately trying to block out the sounds that reminded me of what I was. I fell to my knees in a pitiable heap and cried until I was unconscious.

I wasn't sure what time it was when I woke, not that time mattered down here anyway. Amaimon was the first thing I saw, crouched on his haunches in the corner of what I recognized as my assigned house. I sat up and held my head in my hands, trying to forget the fight, hoping it would fade from my memory like a bad dream.

He stood when he noticed I was awake, twirling the two dog tags I had won around his index finger. "That was impressive." He tossed them to me, but I didn't reach out to catch them. "Make sure you fight me next. I want to feel you squirm in my hands too," he spoke with perverse enjoyment, licking his lips at the thought of me submitting to him.

I tried to ignore it. "Where do I trade these in?"

His face blanked again. "At the main gate."

I stood and straightened my hoodie. "Come with me."

"Why?" He scoffed, but followed me anyway.

We walked in silence and I noticed a wide berth the residents were now giving me. It made me feel uncomfortable, abandoned, like how I had felt in...in where? A school, I think; I couldn't remember completely, like a fog had swallowed my memories.

Amaimon kept his distance as I approached the exorcist at the gate. He quickly snatched the two tags out of my hand. "What do you want?"

I spoke without thinking, "Freedom for me and my friend."

Another exorcist standing nearby overheard me and laughed, an irritating sound that made me furious. He nudged his friend playfully. "Let's give him a taste of 'freedom'."

They entered through the chain link door, standing on either side of me. One of them pressed his hands together and chanted a quick sutra. Immediately, my body went rigid. I was held upright by one of the exorcists and mercilessly beat by the other. They took turns, trying to see who could make the biggest bruise in a single hit. Pain overwhelmed my mind and I barely noticed when they had left me on the ground.

Amaimon helped me up once they had their fun. "Do you believe me now?"


	3. Chapter 3

As time passed, Amaimon and I grew closer. Well, as close as two people needed to be to survive. He was my only friend; though, when I told him this, he simply laughed it off, telling me he didn't have a use for something as trivial as 'friends'. But I knew, down here, having someone you could trust was invaluable.

"What does it taste like?" he asked, perched atop my roof. It was his favorite spot, apparently, placing him high enough to watch nearby residents.

"Um… It's sweet and has a smooth, thick texture," I explained, trying to recall the flavor of my favorite snacks. "Me and my friends used to get them all the time after school."

"What is 'school'? You mention it a lot."

I fisted the blanket I was folding, struggling to remember why the thought of being with my friends made me feel so sad. "I can't remember specifics, but you go to class and they teach you things."

"Like what?"

"How to kill demons," I responded automatically, and my words terrified me.

He snorted. "It's no different up there than down here, huh?" His voice was heavy with disgust.

I wanted to tell him that he was wrong, that most people didn't know demons existed, but my voice was caught in my throat and I couldn't breathe. All of these hints, these unfinished memories… Why wasn't I trying harder to remember, to get answers?

And then I realized that it didn't bother me. I wasn't upset that I couldn't remember. It felt so normal, so easy to accept that I had simply forgotten that I never thought twice about it. This is the way things are now and there's no need to go back to the past.

I heard Amaimon jump off my roof as a knock came to my door. It was released from its hinges (again) and clattered noisily to the ground. Standing in my doorway, embarrassed, was a brown-haired boy with thinly framed glasses I'd never seen before. He wore plain clothes similar to mine, so I knew he wasn't an exorcist.

"Sorry about that." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and gave me a contrite smile.

I shrugged and lifted the door. "It's alright; it happens all the time." I leaned it against the wall. "If you're here about the fights," I hesitated, trying to keep my voice from cracking. "I'm not going back. Stop asking me."

An unreadable expression briefly tightened his eyes and he frowned. "Actually, I'm your new neighbor. I just got assigned this morning and wanted to introduce myself." His expression melted into a warm smile. There was something uncomfortably familiar about the turquoise shade of his eyes, something that made my heart pound fervently in my chest. "I'm Yukio."

Amaimon suddenly landed hard on the ground next to him and leaned forward, quietly breathing his scent. "You're a half-breed too." He scoffed and narrowed his eyes dangerously. "I wonder if all half-breeds are unstable?"

"Knock it off," I hissed, shoving Amaimon aside. "Yukio. Huh?" I smiled at him, relieved to find yet another person that didn't have the physical characteristics of a typical demon. "Sorry, I don't have any tea, but you can come in if you'd like."

He chuckled lightly, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "No, thank you. It's much more comfortable out here."

"Fair enough."

Yukio was a strange person. He was polite and happy, too happy, I decided, for someone who has just been imprisoned down here for the rest of their lives. But this thought was overshadowed by the familiar feeling I had as we talked about the small city. Being with him was comforting and relaxing, like reuniting with an old friend. Amaimon didn't feel the same; he kept his distance and watched us cautiously from the rooftops.

I concluded that, like us, he didn't belong here. But I was hesitant to explain my desire to escape, wondering if he would laugh at my ideas.

He didn't. Instead, he pulled out a large, folded paper from his back pocket. Amaimon recognized it before I did and snatched it. We quickly followed him into my house as he spread it out over my bed. It was a map of the underground cave system.

"This is..." My voice trailed off, unable to believe what was in front of me. Tunnels were mapped out all over the surrounding area and many of them, I noticed, led to the surface.

"How did you get this?" Amaimon glowered at him, tone heavy with accusation.

"You learn some rather useful tricks living in the streets." He reached over me and pointed to a spot on the wall that enclosed the city. "The barrier is weak here. Once we break through," he paused, tracing an invisible path to the nearest tunnel. "This should take us to the top."

"But won't that put us inside the facility?" I asked. "That place will be crawling with exorcists."

"Yes, and that's why we wait until it's nighttime."

Amaimon gently ran his fingertips against a fold in the paper. "It's perfect; they'll be too busy with rotating duties to notice in time." He looked up at us, an eager emotion reflected in his eyes. "Let's do it."

I snorted. "I thought you wanted to wait here for your _Aniue_?"

"He's not coming for me, so I'll go to him." His words made me regret what I had said.

Yukio's smile turned solemn. "Then it's settled. When the guards switch shifts, we'll break the barrier and be out before morning."

It seemed like a great idea. The more I thought about it, the more eager I became. Surely this would work and I could finally prove to Amaimon that I could cook. I would make him anything he wanted as our first meal. He's been my only companion since I arrived and I felt I at least owed him this much. Besides, imagining the look of shock on his face when he took that first bite would be more than enough to satisfy me.

"Is that really the first thing you'll do?" Yukio laughed at me as we watched the main gate from a safe distance.

I stretched and placed my hands behind my head. "I imagine I'll have a lot of time to do the things I want, so I might as well get the important stuff out of the way first." He chuckled again, a warm, natural sound. "What's so funny?"

He shook his head, expression suddenly turning distant. "Nothing. It's just…" he paused and took a deep breath. "It's silly that the first thing you want to do is cook."

"And what's wrong with cooking? One day I'll open a restaurant that'll be so popular it'll have a three day waiting list!" I nudged him playfully. "You watch; I'll remember you said that."

"Don't get your hopes up, Rin." He smiled.

That's odd. I don't remember telling him my name.

We lapsed into silence for a while, watching the exorcists wait impatiently for their shifts to be rotated. I glanced at Yukio, wondering what it was about him that made him so familiar. He sat with a deplorable expression, facing forward, knees pulled up to his chest; and, it bothered me to see him like this, though I couldn't understand why.

"Can I ask you something?" He didn't respond. "Do we know each other?"

His eyes widened in surprise, but then tightened, as if he were trying to decide how to word something. "Rin, the guards! They're rotating!" I looked up to find that he was right. The elevator doors sat open and the exorcists were busy socializing. "Let's hurry!"

I scrambled to my feet and followed him as we weaved through the short structures. Amaimon was already waiting for us, half-lidded eyes staring mindlessly up at the florescent lights on the ceiling of our cave. Yukio muttered to himself and placed his hands on random spots, searching for the weak part of the barrier. When he found it, he nudged Amaimon who, reluctantly, pushed off the ground.

"Amaimon, are you sure you know what to do?" I was silenced when he punched the wall, causing the weakened seal to crumble at his feet.

He noticed my expression and grinned. "That's how I win my fights."

"No time, let's go!" Yukio shouted, a new urgency in his voice.

The tunnel wasn't very far, wide open to allow air to ventilate into the enclosed cave. But it was small; so small we would have to move in a single file line.

I took one look inside the tunnel and stepped back. "Well, uh, lead the way, Yukio."

He glanced at it nervously. "It's a straight shot, you'll be fine, Rin."

There was absolutely _no way_ I was going in there first. "Amaim-"

"No."

"But you're the bravest out of all of us!" I encouraged, hoping he would fall for it.

He raised a brow in disapproval. "Demons don't do well in tiny, cramped tunnels. You two are half-breeds and, since it won't affect you as much, it's only logical for me to go last."

I whirled around to face Yukio, impatient. "We'll rock, paper, scissors for it."

"Okay."

I wasn't too happy about my victory when I realized I would be shoved in the middle of them; but I didn't get a chance to complain. Inside was dark and cramped and cold and it took me a long while to muster the courage to follow Yukio.

"Get your tail out of my face!" Amaimon hissed at me and I could imagine the vicious scowl adorning his face.

Irritated, I shoved the tuft of my tail in his face. I snickered, amused by his growls until a sharp pain shot up to my spine. I jumped and banged my head on the top of the tunnel. "Ow!

Yukio stopped to scold us. "Keep it down! Do you want us to get caught?"

"He bit me!"

Amaimon coughed violently and tried to get the taste out of his mouth. "Do you ever wash that thing?"

I glanced behind me with a wink. "Nope." His eyes widened and, finally, it was my turn to grin triumphantly.

"Quiet! We're here."

I couldn't see clearly from my angle, but I heard him push aside a blockade; a heavy box scrapped against the cold ground as he struggled to move it. He hoisted himself out of the tunnel and then pulled me out. Neither of us turned to help Amaimon, but he didn't need any assistance.

We were in a basement, a storage room of sorts. Large boxes were piled to the ceiling and sacks of what I assumed to be food decorated the ground. I rounded the corner and found a small, wooden staircase leading to a door with a visible light emitting from under it. "Over here!"

"Stay here," Yukio's voice was a whisper. "I'll see if it's safe." He climbed the stairs slowly, pausing each time the wood groaned under his feet. Amaimon followed him lithely after he disappeared through the door. I grabbed his sleeve in an attempt to pull him back down, but he hissed at me, snatching his arm back.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, worried the sound of my voice would get us caught.

His brow scrunched together as he frowned. "I don't trust him and I'm _not_ waiting here." He hesitated as he took another step, and then turned back to me. "Come with me."

I knew that I should follow him, but, deep down, I desperately wanted to believe that Yukio would come back for us. "But he said to wait here."

"Damnit, Rin," he growled. "Fine! Stay here! I hope they let you keep your memory after punishing you."

My eyes were fixed on his face as I deliberated. With a disappointed shake of his head, he began up the steps again. "Amaimon, wait!" He was right; we would eventually be found if we waited here.

He slowly eased the door open, creating barely enough room for a quick peek around. Instantly annoyed, he shoved it open and strode over to Yukio, who was waiting patiently on the other side of a large, empty room. Before he could make it, two exorcists, each pointing tranquilizer guns at either of us, emerged from a side door and scrambled into their predetermined positions.

"Don't move!"

I raised my hands above my head. "What is this? I thought you were," I stopped, my voice caught in my throat as I stared at Yukio, pleading with my eyes. I didn't know how to finish my sentence, didn't know what there was I could say. My heart sank into my stomach and I became nauseous.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked innocently, pulling a gun from inside his jacket and pressing it against Amaimon's head. It had exorcism symbols engraved on its barrel.

"Traitor!" The word came through his gritted teeth in a snarl that was louder than I expected.

"Yukio," I spat his name, making it a curse. "I trusted you!" His eyes met mine and, for a moment, he frowned, giving me a dismal, remorseful expression. I didn't believe it and glared at him, feeling the flames lick at my thoughts.

"Restrain them to their homes for twenty-four hours. We'll decide what to do with them after that."

Amaimon shifted to the side, but Yukio immediately adjusted his body to compensate, never removing the pistol from his head. His fingers were ready claws, waiting for the slightest opportunity. But he would never get it. They bound our hands and dragged us away, back to the elevator, back to our prison cells.

* * *

**Author's Note: This is, in my opinion, the worst chapter in the entire story. I'm not proud of it, but I hope everyone still enjoys it.**


	4. Chapter 4

My house was cold and dark, not that there was much to see. I could hear the muffled shouts and hollers from the fights at the fountain and listened to their nonrhythmic screams. I tried to shift my weight, but stopped as the pain in my wrists intensified. The restraints were attached to a device built into the wall above the bed. It had exorcism sigils engraved on it, making it impossible for me to break. I had only realized this after spending the past few hours trying to pry myself free of the wall.

I sniffed and wiped the blood from my mouth on my shoulder. My body ached from the beating, my wrists had been rubbed raw from the restraints, and all I wanted to do was cry. But I couldn't. I had already cried enough and now there was nothing left. I pulled my knees up to my chest and rested my head on them, mentally and physically exhausted.

"Are you done?" Amaimon's voice, coming from the other side of my wall, startled me.

"Hah. Y-You heard all that?" I was immediately embarrassed.

"It's annoying."

"Sorry."

There was a brief silence between us, heavy and awkward. "Sometimes," he began, voice soft and calm, something I've never heard before. "I wish I was a half-breed."

I snorted sarcastically. "Why? So you could be 'unstable'?"

"I want to cry too."

A wave of quiet sadness crashed into me. I never stopped to think about how Amaimon felt, always too preoccupied with my own feelings to notice. I wanted to say something to reassure him, to tell him that he wouldn't have a reason to cry once we were free, but I couldn't think of the correct words. I owed him so much, but no matter what I thought of, it would never be enough to erase the guilt that now squeezed my heart.

"Rin?" His voice ripped me from my thoughts.

"Yeah?"

I heard a heavy sigh. "Why do you want to help _me_? Of all the demons trapped down here, I should be your last choice."

My brow pulled together in consternation. I would never imagine these words could come from Amaimon. I almost wanted to pinch myself; surely this was just a surreal dream. "What are you talking about?"

"If I get out of here," he hesitated with his words. "I'll just become the same murderer I was before, Rin. That's why I'm here."

_Because everyone would be safer this way, and they would no longer have to fear me._

"I know how you feel, Amaimon."

"Then why do you want to save me so badly?" There was an annoyed edge to his tone.

"Because you need to see your Aniue." I smiled solemnly to myself. "I have a brother waiting for me out there too. We're more alike than you think.'

He was quiet for a long time, thinking, processing the validity of my words. When he finally spoke again, he sounded distant, as though he were day dreaming. "Our father was a terrible man. Aniue practically raised me by himself. I love him. I'd do anything for him, even if it means I'll be used as a pawn in his games." He paused and took a deep breath.

"Once when I was younger," he started, "Aniue invited me over for dinner. But I behaved badly. I was hungry and helped myself before the other guests arrived." I chuckled, picturing Amaimon standing in the middle of a ruined kitchen with an innocent pout on his face. "Aniue locked me in my room for the night, just like this. And, when the party had ended, he came in and gave me a bag of lollipops. It was the best thing I've ever tasted, but I can barely remember them now."

I frowned. Our memories were nothing but a foggy cluster of incoherent sensations.

I thought back to what Amaimon said when we first met and wondered if he was right. Maybe they _were_ using us for nothing more than entertainment. Maybe they didn't care whether we were violent or if we deserved to be punished. The exorcists were using us for experiments and then erasing our memories so we would continue to believe this type of life was normal for demons. But why?

"Amaimon?"

"What?"

"I believe you."

He paused and then laughed once without humor. "You'd be the first."

"You said that you remember," I waited for a response, but didn't get one. "What do you remember, exactly?"

It took him a moment to gather his thoughts into words and, when he began, he spoke through gritted teeth. "I was strapped to a chair and injected with holy water. They wanted to see how much it would take until I passed out. It was for some new tranquilizer. The exorcists wanted something that would immediately incapacitate a demon," he scoffed, "so they could throw them down here until they were needed."

"That's horrible," I murmured, not wanting to believe his words were the truth. But Amaimon wasn't the type of person that would lie to me. Not like...

"And your brother?" he asked, attempting to change the subject to a lighter topic. "What was he like?"

I smiled. "He wanted to be a doctor; he was really good at it. I got into a lot of fights at school, and he would patch me up when I got home." I chuckled softly. "He always told me _I_ was the reason he wanted to become a doctor, but I never really thought about what he meant, or about how much he cared for me." I sighed through my nose. "I miss him... I wish I could tell him how much I appreciate everything he's sacrificed for me."

"...I wonder if they're here."

His words instantly piqued my curiosity. "Here? Why do you think that?"

He hummed in thought. "If they're related to us, they could be demons too. Though there aren't many to see down here and a handful of us die each day." The cries from the fountain suddenly became amplified. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to ignore it.

Amaimon had a point; since I was a demon, there was a good chance my brother was too, assuming we weren't half-brothers. The thought excited me, but, at the same time, it worried me. If my brother was a demon, I didn't want him to be here. He wouldn't remember me and, worst of all, he would be trapped down here, waiting until the exorcists needed someone to torture.

"I hope not."

"Aniue doesn't deserve to be treated like this."

"But we do." The words poured out of me without thinking.

"Not for long," he said, the sound of a smirk playing on his lips. "We're going to get out eventually." I heard him shift something, like a piece of paper.

I grinned, recognizing the sound. "You have a plan?"

"Not yet. But I _do_ have a map."

I laughed with relief. "How the hell did you manage _that_?"

"Yukio isn't the only one down here with street skills."


	5. Chapter 5

Three hours later, we had a plan. It was a pretty good one considering it came from Amaimon. He decided on a vent, mostly because we've had previous experience with a tunnel and because it was the most convenient option. We lapsed into silence afterward, having no other topics to discuss. Feeling relieved, I leaned my sore cheek against the cold, refreshing surface of my bed and fell asleep.

Before long, I was abruptly woken when someone grumbled in my ear and yanked at my restraints. I couldn't clearly see who it was in the dark, but I _did_ recognize the sound of his voice.

"Yukio?" My stomach churned and anger flickered through me. "Get off!" I struggled against him, hearing something heavy and metallic land on the ground.

I was finally able to stand, though my body protested painfully as I jumped to my feet. I shoved my door open, allowing the dim light from the cave to pour into the room. I could see his face; a dark, melancholy frown pulled at his lips and his eyes reflected sorrow. Even so, his contrite expression did little to change my opinion of him. I crossed my arms and blocked the only exit, wanting to talk to him without Amaimon interfering. For some reason, I didn't want to believe he was a traitor, that he truly wanted to help, though his reason for doing this eluded me.

"I'm sorry," he uttered, barely audible over the distant shouts from the fountain. "Rin, I," he choked on his words, unable to make eye contact.

"Why did you come back after what you did? And you better not try to tell me you're not an exorcist!"

He sighed heavily and bit his lip. "I _am_ an exorcist." I laughed once sarcastically, suddenly furious. "I even helped erase your memory-"

"You what!?"

The flames licked at my face, eager to swallow him. Yukio was one of those responsible for my foggy memories, for erasing the image of my brother. The only person who I held dear to my heart was gone now and it was all _his_ fault. My body exploded with rage, but I tried to hold back. If we needed his help, he needed to be alive.

"Please, listen to me!" He shouted, desperate. "I don't want to do this anymore," his voice cracked, causing guilt to gnaw at me. "I never wanted to hurt you, Rin. I don't want to see you trapped here anymore! It's not fair!

"I'm so sorry for what I did to you," he continued, making my fury falter. "I can't take back what I did, but I can try to make amends. You have to let me and accept my help. Please," he begged, stepping forward.

I'm not sure what made me feel this way, whether it was his words or his expression, but I believed him completely. The flames flickered as they disappeared, blue light fading from his face.

"Yukio," I began softly. I couldn't think of what to say and held his gaze as he sniffed, struggling to hold back his sobs.

"We already have a plan." I flinched, suddenly noticing Amaimon next to me. "We don't need an _exorcist's_ help," he spat the word, lips pulled back over his teeth.

"Amaimon." He glanced at me, face now blank. "How the hell did you get out?"

"I dislocated my hip." I made a face as I recalled the cracking sounds from earlier. "Now that we're both free, we can go."

Yukio took another step forward, reaching out for me, fingers extended like he wished they were long enough to cross the intangible distance between us and bring me back to him. "You can't," he insisted in a loud whisper. "They'll be expecting you."

"Then I'll kill them!" The words came through Amaimon's teeth, hard and bleak. "Too long I've been waiting for Aniue to return, and if he isn't coming back, if he's forgotten about me," he pursed his lips, trying to put his emotions into words. "I have to find him." He turned to me. "Let's go, Rin. _Now_."

Amaimon didn't wait for me and strode away. I started to follow him, but Yukio grabbed my shoulder. "Rin, please," he begged. "I can help you."

I frowned. I wanted to accept his help more than anything, but it was impossible knowing that he had erased the memory of the only family member I had left. "I'm sorry," I said, my voice nearly inaudible. "You had your chance."

"That was a mistake!" He continued to talk even as I walked away. "No one was supposed to be there! If I hadn't told them to restrain you to your home, they would've killed you! Rin!"

I broke out into a full sprint, no longer wanting to hear his pleading cries. I ran blindly through the houses and their residents, pushing them aside and tripping over my feet. Amaimon caught me as I frantically crashed into him, trying to catch my breath. He raised a brow questioningly at me, but didn't say anything.

It took me a moment to pull myself together. "Let's get out of here."

Our escape route would take us into the last stall in one of the buildings designated as a public bathroom. The vent, though composed of many turns and dead ends, would eventually bring us to another bathroom on the first floor of the facility. We would sneak out into the hall, to the lobby, and out the front door. The chips in our arms would set off the alarms, but Amaimon assumed, by the time the exorcists were able to make it to the main entrance, we would be long gone.

Amaimon shoved a few angry demons out of his way as we entered the bathroom stall. He closed it, obscuring us from the others. We couldn't help them; he said they would only get in the way. I watched him carefully unscrew the metal grate that covered the vent with a claw. He tossed it aside and opened the map he had stolen.

"I'll go first," he mused aloud, tracing a path with his finger. "Stay close." He carried the paper in his mouth and hoisted himself into the vent.

"I thought demons were afraid of tiny, cramped tunnels." I grinned, trying to improve my mood more than anything, but he wasn't amused.

"No time for jokes, Rin," he glared at me, voice muffled. "You can make fun of me all you want when we watch the sun rise."

I smiled inwardly at the picture in my head: a beautiful, soothing morning wind rustling my hair as the sky reflected deep shades of orange.

Amaimon flicked me on the head to bring me out of my reverie. "Stop day dreaming."

I nodded, adrenaline surging through me, and quickly followed him into the vent. It didn't smell pleasant and, after crawling a few feet, I was covered in cobwebs. We paused at every turn to determine which way we had to go to reach our destination. I couldn't understand how Amaimon was able to see with such little light, but figured I would have plenty of time to ask about it later.

Just when I thought I was going to pass out from the stuffy atmosphere, he kicked a grate free and dropped down. I eased myself through the small opening after him, taking a deep, refreshing breath,

"Never again," I coughed.

He hushed me and waved me over to a hiding spot under one of the sinks. "Listen." I paused as he returned the map to his pocket, straining to hear what bothered him.

Voices; muffled voices from outside the bathroom. He crept forward and cracked the door open for a peek. Abruptly he closed it and hurried over to me.

"There's two guards in the lobby." I knew what he was going to suggest, and the thought made my heart pound in my ribcage. I was worried they could hear it.

"I can't. What if I lose control?"

"You'll be fine. Just snap his neck." I nodded, breathing heavily.

We sneaked out of the bathroom, hugging the wall as we moved closer and closer to freedom. His hand shot up to stop me and then he held up three fingers.

Two...

One...

But before we lunged forward, the elevator doors slid open. Amaimon cursed under his breath and we sunk back into the shadows. Yukio stepped into the waiting room, hands tucked neatly behind him.

He cleared his throat to get the exorcists' attention. "Assistance is needed in sector B. Another group of subjects has attempted to escape through the break in the seal."

They groaned in unison and headed for the elevator. Yukio smiled warmly in our direction once the doors had closed, motioning for us to come out. Amaimon stepped forward cautiously, quickly scanning the area for any hidden guards.

"Why are you helping us? Feel guilty about all the shit you've done?" His tone was filled with disgust.

It took him a long moment to answer, but he was calm when he did. "They told us we would be _helping_ you, _protecting_ you from those that don't understand or who might not know how to handle your species. But I never knew I would be torturing you. And, now that I know the truth," he stopped and walked over to the door, entering a code into what I hoped was the keypad to disable the alarm system.

Amaimon glared at him as he approached the door. "I still don't trust you."

"Yukio," I walked over to him, ecstatic that we could finally leave and meet up with our forgotten families. "Thanks. And, uh, sorry for being a butt earlier." He shook his head, brushing off my apology. "I can't say for sure, but I think you and my brother would really get along."

A dozen emotions flitted across his face before he turned away. I wondered what I had said that upset him, but pushed the thought aside as Amaimon opened the double doors.

The air outside was fresh and crisp, carried by a breeze that playfully rustled my hair. The early morning sky, vast and mysterious, was painted with the faint, orange hues of sunlight. Grass swayed in the wind, decorated with small wildflowers, dancing with a display of colors I would never see in the demon city below.

I glanced at Amaimon, who wore the same overwhelmingly excited expression I knew adorned my face.

And then, the three of us were blinded by a fusillade of incredibly bright, yellow light. I covered my unadjusted eyes with my arms and heard someone clap slowly.

"Excellent work, Yukio!"

Amaimon sucked in a quick, shaky breath through clenched teeth. "Aniue?" I unshielded my face, all hope of seeing the sun now gone from my mind. "Aniue! You came back for me!"


	6. Chapter 6

The scene that waited when my eyes finally adjusted to the light horrified me. We were surrounded by at least ten exorcists with an oddly dressed man, who's fashion sense reminded me of a clown, standing in the middle, clapping his gloved hands. Most of his outfit was white and pink, a familiar combination of colors that made me furious. He had a matching top hat and umbrella dangling from his right arm.

Amaimon, losing his mask of animosity, rushed forward into the arms of his brother, completely disregarding the half-circle of exorcists pointing guns at our heads. He was welcomed into a tight hug and my heart fluttered with jealousy. Where was _my_ brother? When would I have _my_ touching reunion?

"Mephisto," Yukio's voice was shaky and yet angry. "What is this?" He walked forward, toward the man in white, but one of the guards shouted at him, finger hovering over the trigger. Cautiously and slowly, he held up his hands and returned to my side.

"This is the end of your experiment!" The clown announced, outstretching his arms as if this was some type of reality television show. Amaimon clung to him, face buried in his chest. "I must congratulate you on a job well done, Yukio."

My head snapped to him as I processed his words. "Experiment!?" I backed away from him, shaking my head in disbelief. "You were lying to us the entire time." It wasn't a question, simply a statement of fact.

I begged whatever deity that existed to let me be wrong. I won't ever ask for anything again, I'll even be content living here for the rest of my life, but please, _please_. Yukio isn't a liar, he would _never_ do this to me.

"_Please_, Yukio." He looked at me, lips forming a tight line.

And then he turned back to Mephisto. "We agreed that you would release him if I could convince him to escape with me." He began to shout, anger heavy in his voice. "I did! Now let him go!"

He chuckled darkly, petting Amaimon's head. "Yes, I did agree to that," he said, an amused, twisted grin, stretching his smooth features. "But look around you." Yukio's eyes widened as he met the hardened gaze of each exorcist. "I would hardly call _this_ an escape. And, as part of our compromise, _you_ will now join our brothers!"

Mephisto snapped his fingers and the two closest exorcists lowered their weapons. They grabbed him roughly, holding him in place. He struggled and protested, screaming words that didn't make sense to me. "Rin! It's me! You have to remember! We were raised in a monastery with-" One of the guards struck him in the back of his head with the butt of his rifle, silencing him mid-sentence.

"Such a noisy little brother." Mephisto shook his head. "He has outlived his usefulness. Erase his memory and put him with the others."

I didn't stop them as they dragged Yukio back into the facility. "Why are you doing this?" I asked through shaky breaths, voice cracking.

He simply grinned at me, seemingly amused by my question. "We are creating an army. One that _you_, my dear little brother, will one day lead." My bottom lip trembled as he continued. "I wanted to turn you into an exorcist, but the Grigori decided it would be easier to tap into your demonic urges. All we needed to do was to get you to obey us without question, condition you into believing this was your purpose in life, to listen to us and only us. And then, I figured, why stop at one?"

"The city?"

"Simply a containment area to prevent you from becoming interested in outside influences. Wouldn't want you to pick up a hobby or a significant other when you're supposed to be a weapon of war. It also allows us to monitor progress at a safe distance."

"The fights?"

"A way for us to weed out the weak, and for you to develop your skills."

I forgot how to breathe, unable to comprehend his words because they were impossible. Utterly impossible, an illusion, a sadistic, intangible reality. This couldn't be happening... _Right_?

Amaimon stepped back, fists clenched. "Aniue, you don't have to condition me. I'll do whatever you want."

"Amaimon," he placed his hand on the side of his brother's face affectionately. "We can have no exceptions." He reached up and violently hit Amaimon on his head, knocking him unconscious. "It's better this way, Otouto." He caught the demon's body as he fell forward.

"You're sick!" I cried, consumed by fear. "I'm _not_ leading any army and I'm _not_ listening to _you_!"

He pouted innocently, a fake expression that disgusted me. "But I thought you _wanted_ to kill Satan?" He waved his hand and a second pair of exorcists began to approach me. "I'm merely giving you a wonderful opportunity, don't you agree?"

I tried to call the flames, reached into the furthest depths of my mind where my guilt and sorrow and hazy memories churned. I was desperate, crying, frantic, but nothing ever came. Even when I needed them most, they ignored me. I realized, with a nauseous roll of my stomach, that they would only emerge if they could _kill_ someone. I was already halfway there, slowly turning into the monster the Grigori wanted me to be.

I flailed as they grabbed me, pinned me to the ground to keep me still. "No! No! No! Please!" I caught one last glance at Mephisto, a serious, pitying frown on his face. "I don't want this! I don't want-"

* * *

My vision swirled as I eased my eyes open, a haze of monochrome colors that had no distinguishable shape. I blinked hard a few times until my senses slowly began to return to me, and glanced around the room, unable to recall why I was here.

Bright, yellow light filtered in through a nearby window, the only source of color around me. It was slanted at a strange angle, as if I was underground. Blinded by the light that stabbed my unadjusted eyes, I turned away in time to watch a nurse enter through a metallic door. She smiled warmly when she saw me and dabbed a cool, wet cloth gently against my forehead. I pulled myself into an upright position, groaning and gripping my head. It throbbed and pounded painfully for a moment before fading.

"Hello," her voice was distinct and monotonous, a human representation of the room we were in. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck."

She didn't acknowledge my response. "Your name...

* * *

**Author's Note: It's been a while so some of you might not remember, but that ending passage is the exact same as the beginning. (I think it's called a circular plot structure.) Anyway, that's all! I do plan on rewriting this at some point, but, until then, I hope everyone enjoyed reading despite the flaws.**** I also want to thank everyone for all the follows/favorites and reviews! I really appreciate the support!**

**((I'm a bit stumped on what to write next so if anyone would like to suggest something or make a request or whatever, please let me know.))**


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